Excavating machine



s. L, G. KNOX M5529 EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet [4] 4J LA @e Cil Patented Sept. 24, 1935 STATES EXCAVATING MACHINE Samuel Lippincott Griswold Knox, Englewood, N. J.

Application July 3, 1933, Serial No. 678,969

22 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in excavating machines of the power shovel, dredge, and like types.

The usual construction of the digging mechanism of power shovels, dredges and the like, consists of an inclined boom, the lower end of which rests on the main structure of the machine, the upper end being supported by guys which are generally anchored to a mast, which in turn is anchored to therear end or part of the structure carrying the hoisting machinery. About the middle of the boom a saddle block is hinged, through which passes the dipper handle under control of the shipper shaft about which the saddle block is pivoted. The actual digging element, the dipper, is attached to the lower end of the clipper handle. There is also attached t the dipper a rope, or ropes, which pass over a sheave or sheaves at the outer end of the boom and thence to the hoisting machinery. The boom is usually inclined about 45 to the horizontal. Means are provided for causing the dipper handle to move in and out through the saddle block.

While the aforementioned structure has persisted through many years, it has decided drawbacks. As ordinarily constructed, in order to get a good dumping heightJ for the dipper, there resuits at lower dipper positions a relatively poor digging force from a given rope pull. If, on the other hand, the boom is so designed, or mounted, that the pull of the digging rope has a good component in the direction of digging, either the undesirable limitation to the dumping height or excessive length oi boom and clipper handle, or both of these objectionable features, result. Further, the conventional method of supporting the boom with guys attached to its upper end, about twice as far from its base as the point where the shipper shaft is located, has serious drawbacks in that considerable strains are transmitted to the boom at a place approximately midway between its points of support, thereby producing severe bending stresses. The boom and dipper handle are also subject to severe stresses as a result of the swinging action. Not only are considerable stresses set up by the acceleration and retardation of the boom, dipper, and dipper handle, but operators are apt to start swinging while the clipper is still digging, and to drop the dipper into the material being dug before the rotation has been stopped. The resultant tortional stresses in the boom and bending in the dipper handle are very difficult to take care of in the usual of construction. This is because when the boom is continuous from shovel platform to the point Where the sheave over which the hoisting rope leads tothe dipper is supported, either the boom or the clipper handle must be divided,

as they cross each other at the shipper shaft.

If the boom is divided, its torsional strength, for a given weight oi material, is reduced. If the dipper handle is divided, its strength as a beam is correspondingly reduced.

Among the objects of the present invention which is designed to overcome the aforemenl0 tioned objections in conventional power shovel or like constructions may be noted the provisio-n of an improved boom construction; the provision of digging means in which the strain in and therefore the weight of the boom and dipper hanl5 dle for a given effective digging force are reduced while at the same time the maximum effective dumping height of the dipper may be maintained or increased; the provision of digging means including a boom and dipper handle in which the material constituting said boom and clipper handle is used more eiciently for carrying the strains applied thereto than in the conventional constructions; the provision of diggingv means for increasing the effective digging pull and dumping height of the digging element.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawing and in part indicated from the following analysis of this invention, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of my idea.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating my improved digging construction, with the clipper handle in its lowermost position illustrated in full lines, and its raised position illustrated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation of the shipper shaft assembly, with the dipper handle in down position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail through the shipper 40 .shaft assembly, with the clipper handle in its up or raised position; and

Figs. 4 7 represent in elevation mcdiiied ccnstructions in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral Il! indicates the main supporting structure which may be a platform, dredge body, or the like. Numeral I I indicates a boom inclined about 40 to the horizontal, although this angle may vary, whose lower end is supported on structure IE! and whose upper end is supported by a strut I2 from a mast cr A-frame i3 or other structure of the shovel support proper. According to my improved construction, boom II ends short of the shipper shaft I5, which latter is journaled in spaced ears end of the boom I I. I8 is a saddle block hinged to turn about shipper shaft I5, with the dipper handle 23 passing through said saddle block. It will be obvious that the dipper handle 20 moves outside the end of boom II instead of straddling it, or passing through it, as in the usual type of shovel and dredge construction, and neither the boom I I nor the dipper handle 20 need be split.

The dipper handle 20 may have provided along one face a rack 2I cooperating with a pinion 22 fast on shipper shaft I5, the shaft and pinion being turned positively and/or braked by suitable instrumentalities (not shown) cooperating with gear 23 (Fig. 3) keyed or otherwise secured to shipper shaft I as is conventional. Dipper handle 2E! is provided at its lower end with a digging element proper, hereinafter referred tol as dipper 24.

In my improved construction, the digging rope 3D which is secured to dipper 24, instead of passing over a sheave at the end of the boom as in the known constructions, passes over sheave 3I at the end of parallel strut construction 32, said strut forming an arm of a frame unit 32, 33, 34 to be more fully described hereinafter. Digging ropes 33 pass over sheave 3I as aforesaid, thence over sheaves 35 rotatable on shipper shaft I5, and thence to a hoisting drum 36 arranged on the platform or main structure I0, the drum being driven by suitable means such as gearing 37, 38 from suitable power means indicated generally at 4i).

Referring to the frame unit 32, 33, 34 of Figs. 1 3 construction, said frame consists of strut 32 as aforesaid together with a strut construction, 33, said struts 32, 33 being arranged with their ends attached to angular plate 42, the frame being rotatable about the axis of the shipper shaft I5. The remaining side 34 of the frame may be constituted by guys or struts and may even consist of van extension of the raising rope 43 in which case the latter would be attached to the outer ends of struts 32, 33 and might bend over a curved 'segment attached to strut 33 or its equivalent, as

will be hereinafter described in relation to Fig. 4. The frame 32, 33, 34 is operated by rope 43 which passes over a sheave 44 supported at the upper end of mast I3, the rope 43 thereupon passing to hoisting drum 36 or to another drum suitably driven from power means 40.

In the Fig. 1 construction, connection of frame 32, 33, 34 with structure I0 may be fixed or variable. When variable, frame 32, 33, 34 rises and falls in cyclical relation to the movement of dipper 24, as rope 43 is reeled or paid out. When the dipper is in its down position for digging, the frame 32, 33, 34 is also in its down position as is illustrated in full line position, Fig. 1, such arrangement giving a greatly improved digging component of the pull in the hoisting rope. Conversely, as the dipper rises to its dumping position, the frame 32, 33, 34 will also rise to such an angle that the said dumping position of the dipper may be higher than is possible with the conventional construction when the latter is sol arranged that a comparable digging component of the pull in the digging rope is obtainable at the lower dipper positions, all as illustrated in the dotted line position of dipper and frame, Fig. 1.

With the aforesaid arrangement, the effective digging effort for a given pull in the digging rope 35 may easily be doubled or tripled while the effective dumping height is maintained or increased for a given total distance from base of boom II to sheave 3 I. At the same time the weight of the l IS formed on a head I1 secured fast to the upper structure replacing the conventional boom is reduced to less than half that of the continuous boom type for a given pull in hoisting rope 33.

Frame 32, 33, 34 whose connection to; boom II and mast I3 has been previously described as variable may also remain xed, that is to say, under some conditions, and for certain types of work, it might be advisable to maintain the frame 32, 33, 34 xed in a particular position. This may be effected by adjusting the frame raising rope 43 to raise and maintain the frame in such position, in which event strut 32 acts as an extension of boom I I, while providing the advantages of a light, strong structure for extending the point of boom sheave 3l out to its desired position, and at the same time removing all bending stresses from the boom and making that part of the boom from the shipper shaft I5 to boom sheave 3| into a strut construction.

Frame 32, 33, 34 may further be moved at any angular speed from Zero (its xed position aforesaid) up to the angular speed of the dipper 24 itself, within the limits of the present invention. While the drawing illustrates ropes 30 and 43 running on to drums of the same diameter, this proportioning of drums is not essential and in many cases such proportioning would not be followed, or, if followed, the drums could be driven by different gear trains so as to give different drum R. P. MJS. Where the frame 32, 33, 34 moves at zero angular speed with respect to the angular speed of dipper 24, the frame would remain xed as aforesaid, in which event the dipper action would come entirely from action of rope 3B. 32, 33, 34 equals the angular speed of the dipper, rope 30 becomes a mere tie from point of dipper 24 to the end of strut 32 with the distance between dipper and outer end of strut 33 being fixed, and the entire hoisting motion is effected by rocking frame 32, 33, 34 up and down by means of rope 43. Any intermediate angular speed of the frame 32, 33, 34 from zero to that of the dip-per 24 may be obtained by suitably proportioning the hoisting drums 33 and/or the gearing thereof, and/or by other suitable means, causing the strut 32 to rise and fall in the desired relation to the movement of dipper 24.

It would of course also be possible to vary the length of the boom guy I 2 during the digging cycle, thus causing the angle between boom II and platform I3 to vary. In this way, it is possible under certain conditions to do away with rack and pinion or corresponding means for moving the dipper handle through the saddle block.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is described a modified construction suggested in the foregoing, in which frame raising rope 43 bends over a curved segment 45 secured to strut 33 and braced by suitable side arms 43 attached to the angle plates 42 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The segment accordingly moves with the frame parts 32, 33 upon manipulation of rope 43. By such an arrangement an effective arm for the pull of rope 43 can be maintained throughout a Wide range of angular movements of the frame 32, 33, 34.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a further modied construction in which the movable frame construction 32, 33, 34 is substituted by a swingable strut 32a similar to strut 32 aforesaid. Strut raising rope 43a secured at end of strut 32a passes over sheave 4i supported by fixed struts 48 eX- tending from mast I3. Strut 32a is movable in the same manner as frame 32, 33, 34 of the Fig. 1 construction.

Where the angular speed of the frame In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a further modified construction following generally the Fig. 5 modification, according to which mast i3a is extended and raked forwardly to carry sheave 41 over which strut raising rope 43a passes, with the sheave carrying struts 48 of the Fig. 5 construction omitted. While the angular movement of sheave carrying strut 32a is perhaps somewhat more limited than in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 5, for example, such modified constructions permit a far better digging angle than the conventional construction.

In Fig. 7, I have illustrated a modified construction designed for particular cases where simplicity of construction and mechanism may be more important than the combination of all of the advantages hereinafter described, in which the oscillating frame 32, 33, 34 as described in relation to Fig. l is not considered necessary. In this modified construction, a light, strong structure comprising parallel struts 50 carries the point of boom sheave 5I. Struts 50 are supported at their lower ends by pins or trunnions at or near the axis of the shipper shafts I5. The brace 54 supports the upper end of boom il from the mast 55 which in turn is supported from the platform or equivalent structure 55. In this modified construction the entire digging action is effected through manipulation of dipper rope 58 passing over sheave 5I and thence to hoisting drum 6U mounted on platform 56. By the aforesaid arrangement, digging power is applied to the dipper in the conventional manner, but practically all bending stresses are removed from the boom by using a simple strut 5U from shipper shaft l5 to the boom sheave 5|, so supported at its lower end that this strut, the brace 54, and the guys 6I are soA connected that there are no significant bending or torsional stresses in them in addition to the direct compression or tension stresses due to the digging and thrusting actions.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted adjacent the extreme upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a sheave over which said hoisting rope passes, and a sheave mounting flexibly connected to the extreme upper end of the boom and operative to position said sheave beyond said extreme upper end of the boom.

2. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at` the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a sheave carrying said rope, and means supporting said sheave and movable relatively to the boom during the digging cycle at angular speeds from zero up to the angular speed of the dipper for increasing the eiTective digging pull and dumping height of the dipper. y

3. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted adjacent the extreme upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, and a strut construction operatively connected to and extending beyond said boom and carrying a sheave over which the hoisting rope passes.

4. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a strut construction extending beyond said boom and carrying a sheave over which the hoisting rope passes, and means for imparting movement to said construction relatively to the boom during the digging cycle and in desired cyclical relation to the movement of the dipper.

5. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a strut construction flexibly connected to and extending beyond said boom and carrying a sheave over which the hoisting rope passes, and means for actuating said strut construction relatively to the boom during the digging cycle and at a desired angular speed from Zero up.

6. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted adjacent the extreme upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said i shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, and a frame unit flexibly connected to said boom and including a strut carrying a sheave disposed beyond the upper end of the boom, said hoisting rope passing over said sheave.

'7. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame unit associated with said boom and including a strut carrying a sheave disposed beyondthe upper end of the boom, said hoisting rope passing over said sheave, and means for moving said frame element relatively to the boom during the digging cycle and at a desired angular speed from zero up.

8. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a chpper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame unit associated with said boom and including a strut carrying a sheave disposed beyond the upper end of the boom, said hoisting rope passing over said sheave, and means for moving said frame unit relatively to the boom during the digging cycle and in desired cyclical relation to the movement of the dipper.

9. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame unit mounted for angular movement on an axis at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, said frame unit including a strut and a sheave carried at the outer end thereof over which the hoisting rope passes, and means for imparting movement to said frame unit.

10. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame unit flexibly connected to the boom for angular movement on an axis at or near said shipper shaft, said frame unit including a strut and a sheave carried at the outer end thereof, over which the hoisting rope passes, and means for imparting movement to said frame unit at a desired speed from zero up.

ll. In apparatus of the character described,

in combination, a supporting structure, a boom' supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame including angularly related struts movable as a unit on an axis at or near` the axis of said shipper shaft, one of said struts carrying near its outer end a sheave over which said hoisting rope passes, a frame moving rope operatively connected to the other strut and extending to said hoisting machinery, and adapted to actuate the frame about its axis.

12. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame flexibly connected to the boom and including angularly related struts movable as a unit on an axis at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, one of said struts carrying near its outer end a sheave over which said hoisting rope passes, a frame moving rope operatively connected to the other strut and extending to said hoisting machinery and adapted to actuate the frame about its axis at a desired speed from Zero up.

13. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a frame including a strut, a sheave carried at the end thereof over which. the hoisting rope passes, and a segment, the said frame unit being movable on an axis at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, and a frame actuating rope attached to said strut and passing over the segment and extending to said hoisting machinery.

14. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a mast thereon a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure and from said mast, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a strut mounted for movement on an axis at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, a sheave carried at the outer end of said strut over which said hoisting rope passes, a strut actuating rope attached to said strut, and a sheave supported from said mast, said lastnamed rope passing over said last-named sheave and thence to said hoisting machinery.

15. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a strut mounted for movement on an axis at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, a sheave carried at the outer end of said strut over Which said hoisting rope passes, a strut actuating rope attached to said strut, a fixed strut supported on said supporting structure,-and a sheave carried by said strut, said last-named rope passing over said lastnamed sheave and thence to the hoisting machinery.

16. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a mast supported on said structure, a boom supported in inclined position upon said structure and from said mast, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper, a strut mounted for movement about an axis at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, a sheave carried at the outer end of said strut over which said hoisting rope passes, a strut actuating rope attached to said strut, a sheave carried by said mast, said strut actuating rope passing over said last-named sheave and thence to said hoisting machinery.

17. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a mast supportedthereon, a boom supported in inclined position upon said structure and tied to said mast, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted at the upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a strut construction supported at one end at or near the axis of said shipper shaft, guys extending between the other end of said strut construction and said mast, a sheave carried at said upper end of the strut construction, and a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and passing over said sheave and thence to suitable hoisting mechanism.

18. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted adjacent the extreme upper 'ported in an inclined position upon said structure,

a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted adjacent the extreme upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively attached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a light strut construction operatively connected to and extending beyond said boom and carrying a sheave over which the hoisting rope passes, suspension means for said boom extending from said supporting structure to said boom, and suspension means for said strut extending from said supporting structure to said strut.

20. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting structure, a boom supported in an inclined position upon said structure, a shipper shaft operatively related to the boom and mounted adjacent the extreme upper end thereof, a dipper handle under the control of said shipper shaft and carrying at its lower end a dipper, a hoisting rope operatively at- 5 tached to said dipper and extending to hoisting machinery, a light strut construction connected to said boom adjacent the shipper shaft and extending beyond said boom and carrying a sheave over which the hoisting rope passes, suspension means for said boom extending from said supporting structure to said boom, and suspension means for said strut extending from said supporting structure to said strut.

21. In an excavating machine of the dipper type, the combination of: a base; an A-frame mounted on said base; a hoisting winch, supported by said base; an inclined boom, with its bottom end supported on said base; a shipper shaft, mounted adjacent the extreme upper end of the 2O boom; a dipper handle, under the control of said shipper shaft; a digging dipper, mounted on the lower end of. the dipper handle; a light strutconstruction, with its lower end connected to said boom adjacent the shipper shaft, and extending beyond the boom; a sheave, carried by the strut, adjacent its outer end; a hoisting rope operatively related to said dipper and handle, and extending over the sheave to the hoisting winch; means suspending the boom from the A-frame; and means independently suspending the strut from the A-frame.

'22. In an excavating machine of the dipper type, the combination of a base; an A-frame mounted on said base; a hoisting winch, supported by said base; an inclined boom, with its bottom end supported on said base; a shipper shaft, mounted adjacent the extreme upper end of the boom; a dipper handle, under the control of said shipper shaft; a digging dipper, mounted on the 40 lower end of the dip-per handle; a light strut construction, with its lower end connected to said boom adjacent the shipper shaft, and extending beyond the boom; a sheave, carried by the strut, adjacent its outer end; a hoisting rope operatively related to said dipper and handle, and extending over the sheave to the hoisting winch; means suspending the boom from the A-frame; and means suspending the strut from the A-frame so as to cause no buckling tendency of the joint which connects the strut to the boom.

SAMUEL LIPPINCOTT GRISWOLD KNOX. 

